Topic: Names

The earliest names that appear in the Stud Book of the International Sheep Dog Society (ISD are Sly, Moss, Hemp, Yarrow, Jed, Bute, Jen, Meg, Bess, Gyp, Tyne, Ruby, Nell, Fan, Jess, Rye, Clyde, Tweed, and Wren. Many of these names are evocative of natural features of the land, like rivers (Jed, Tyne, Tweed, Clyde, etc.), and other indigenous properties of the native countryside and climate (Moss, Glen, Mist, etc.). Others are names that farm workers bore themselves (Nell, Bob, Meg, etc.) and often gave to their animals, farm dogs, draft horses, and family milk cows alike. The names that British shepherds traditionally gave their working sheepdogs were short, possibly because they were more easily distinguished at long distances. Thus, names like Nell, Cap, Glen, and Meg have become conventional for Border Collies, and their use has carried over to other countries where Border Collies are employed as working dogs. This is the case in the United States, particularly among traditionalist shepherds. However, here, it seems, we are willing to follow custom just so far, so that while short names are still the norm, we have expanded the vernacular to include American-sounding names like Luke, Quest, Cody, Pete, and Sioux. These may not seem like customary names to the purist, but they maintain the spirit of the tradition.

Longer, more lively names, often with kennel prefixes, are frequently given to show or obedience dogs: Heelalong Jalapena, Highland's Ring Side Riot, and Shoreland's Red Hot Pepper are American obedience Border Collies of today. Keep in mind that kennel names are not unheard-of in Britain and Ireland, even among working dogs, as the famous names Wiston Cap, Whitehope Corrie or Dryden Joe will attest. However the "call name" of Cap, Corrie, and Joe are embodied in their kennel names and are the traditional short Border Collie appellations, whereas the call name of an obedience or show dog may be entirely different from its registered name. Capricious names that appear to disregard custom may offend purists by their apparent flippancy, but in the context of obedience, agility or flyball, a spirited name may be appropriate; they would likely be out of place at the sheepdog trials, in the pasture, or on the hill.

While there are no hard and fast rules, there are certain standards that must be upheld for convention's sake. If a name is embarrassing to say in public, indicates negative behavior or looks, or is likely to be offensive, don't call your dog by it! It might appear amusing at first, but you will probably regret it later on.

Eriu f,I, one of 3 goddesses of Sovereignty, for whom Erin, Ireland, was named

Eryn f, an alternate spelling of Erin

Fafnir m,N, a dragon

Faol m,I "wolf"

Fann f

Fay f, fairy

Faye f

Fea f, a goddess of war

Fearn f,C, "alder"

Felan m,I "wolf", pronounced FEE-lin

Felim *m,I

Fell m,S, a level field on the side of a hill

Fenn @m or f, a bog

Fenne f, I, a swan maid, daughter of a king of the Tuatha

Fergus *m,I, King of Ulster and a hero

Fey f,I "etherial"

Feyll f pronounced FAY-l

Fiach m,b,I "raven"

Fife m,S, a kingdom in Scotland

Fina f, "delicate, tender"

Finlay m,S

Finn *m,I, see Fionn, below

Fiona f, female version of Fionn, below

Fionn *m,G, besides being the G spelling of the great Celtic hero, Finn, there are many meanings of the word, depending on part of speech, including "white", "fair", "chief", "head", "resplendent", "bright", etc.;

Fios m,G, "knowledge"

Fir m or f, the tree

Flame r

Flann r,C "fiery, red"

Flare r

Flash @#m,r, ->

Flax f,T, a bast fiber

Fleet #m, ->

Flora f,S

Floss #f

Flute

Fly #f, ->

Flynn m,r,C "bright red"

Folly f,

Foss #m, a ditch or moat

Frida for the artist Frida Kahlo

Gael *#f

Gaer *G, "fortress"

Gaffer m,S, foreman, old man

Gaia f, personification of earth

Gair *m,G, strip of land

Gaire *f

Gairm m,G, "crow"

Gala f, a river in the Borders of Scotland

Gareth *m,W

Gash S. for wise, sagacious

Gawain *m,W

Geal f,w,G, "white"

Gealach *f,w,bl,sp, G,"the moon"

Gean f,r,S, "cherry tree"

Gearraidh m,G, enclosed or common grazing

Geas m,G, compultion or spell

Geasa f,G, taboo

Ged m, a Joanna Russ character

Gem f

Geordie m

Geowin *f,W, a footmaiden of Math

Ghyll m, a ravine

Gigha f, island off the W. coast of Scotland

Gilly m,r,S from G, short for Gilderoy or "red boy"

Gilpy m or f, S for a half-grown lad or lass

Ginger f,r

Glas f,C, "blue one", a goddess of domestic animals

Gled m or f,S for sharp, keen, alert

Gleed m or f,r,S for a burning coal

Gleis m,W

Glen #m,S "valley"

Glew m,W

Gloss

Glyn m,W "valley"

Goron m,CN "hero"

Goreu m,W, "the best"

Gorm *m,bl, G, "blue"

Gorse f,sb,fn, yellow flower, pea family, grows on a thorny bush

Gort m,C, "ivy"

Gow *m, for Neil Gow the Scottish fiddler in Burn's day

Gowan *S, the daisy

Grail f

Grain f,sb,fn

Graine *f,r,G "scarlet"; I pronounced GRAW-nya, "love, grace"

Grainne f,I, daughter of Cormac, betrothed to Finn, elopes with Diarmaid, also a sun deity

Greig *m, for Gavin Greig, the late Scottish folklorist

Gretyl f

Grian m,G, "the sun"

Grig * a small fairy

Grough an eroded peat gully on the Dark Peak (thanks to Chris Barrow, from the UK)

Gruff m

Guerin m

Gully *m, as in Jimson, the Joyce Carey character in The Horse's Mouth

Guss m, short for Angus, Fergus

Gweir *m,W, another name for Gwydion

Gwelle f

Gwion m,W, another name for Gwydion

Gwynt f or f,W, -> "wind"

Gwyr m,W

Gypsy f

Gyr *the falcon

Gyre *f,T, Queen of the Fairies in Fife, a spinning fairy like the Habetrot

Haar *m,bl,sp,blmr, the sea fog in Shetland

Hamish *m, S from the G, the form of Seumas, James, used when addressing someone of that name directly, as in "Good morning, James!"

Venn m,r, character in Hardy, the raddle man‹person who sold rudd, red dye, to farmers for applying to chests of ram so when the ram mounted a ewe, he marked the ewe on her butt, indicating that the ewe was bred

Warlock m, a male witch

Watt m

Weaver T,m

Webb f or m

Weld *m,T, yellow dye

Westra f

Whimsy m

Whin #*f, a flower

Whisper

Whiz

Wicca f

Willow *f

Willy @*#m

Wizard @*m

Woad *m,T,bl,blmr, a blue dye

Wold m

Wren *f

Wyn m,w,W "fair"

Wynd *f ->

Yam r,fn

Yarrow #f, a river in the Borders of Scotland

Yeats *m for the poet

Yell one of the Shetland Islands

Ynys f,W, "island"

Yore m

York #*m

Zac m

Zack m

Zaq *m,# usually spelled "Zac" or "Zack"

Zea f, a genus of grass, of which Indian Corn, Zea Mays is the only known species

My dog is called Cassie, but often gets called Cass which is listed. My sister's Border Collie is called Holly which I was surprised not to see listed, it's a popular female name here at least.
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